:::project diaz:::

Let the leaves FALL.....or not.

2013-10-11T10:12:00.001-04:00

Nothing Says fall more than jacket wearing weather, fresh picked apples and orange falling leaves! Living in SW Florida isn't exactly the ideal Autumn crisp air. However, my heart skips a beat when I begin to see the little changes in leaves around here. I'm not complaining that the weather has cooled down 10 degrees. Its been 80 all week! Still beach weather in mid October. Since the outdoor scene isn't so fallish this time of year I've added a few indoor touches to compensate.

No. 4 turns ONE

2013-08-05T11:56:00.001-04:00

Hello my lovelies. My last post here was almost 2 years ago. I've been a little busy. When I posted SOUTH BEACH GETAWAY back on Oct 31, 2011 I had no idea that our newest addition was in the making. And now that little doll has turned ONE! I've been itching to get back on here and share her story along with the millions of other stories we've had along the way. Let me begin my 2 year catch up by introducing you to our darling 4th baby Juliana Kathryn. Born July 21, 2012. She's our 4th to turn ONE so we celebrated with tons of PINK.

Juliana 2 weeks old. Photo credit Marisa Lane Photography

Pink lace, bows, flowers and pearls.

She's as proper as an old lady. Lets raise our pinkies for tea!

Birthday Brunch

DIY POM POMS

Personalized stamped napkins. Thanks Pinterest.

It feels so good to be back.

South Beach Getaway

2011-10-31T10:47:00.000-04:00

Oh Friends, Husby and I got away last weekend from everything! It was bliss, pure BLISS! Let's just say we were in need of it, and I really didn't wanna come home for another week or so! (just being honest)
A HUGE thanks to Julio's wonderful parents who spent the weekend at our place to watch the kiddos for us so we could make it happen! Despite their schedules and activities they did it for us, for our marriage and for their Grandkids! Talk about family investment and treasure! I'm ever grateful! <3

Our last trip to SOBE......

The last time we had a getaway to SoBe (aka South Beach) we had a completely different adventure that included Mopeds, friends, tons of shopping, site-seeing and late nights! Oh and not to mention my friend Mary and I were both just a few months preggers!

Mopeds with friends and heels!

The Delano

The Forge. Amazing FOOD and DECOR Check it out!

Nikki Beach

Our stay this time around....

We stayed at the beautiful Hilton Bentley right off Ocean Drive and right next door to Nikki Beach! Thanks to Magellan Vacations (love them) we were able to get an incredible corner room with spectacular view of both city and ocean! Just what we wanted! We couldn't have asked for more windows and a better balcony! Look at this place!

Surrounded by windows

It was a dream! South Beach this time of year...GORG! Weather PERFECT! Truly, it's a slice of paradise! (teehee I rhymed) We just relaxed and enjoyed some of South Beach's finest! The ocean of course! Oh and a few delish places to dine!

I adore this man!

spent many hours here.

Took a walk down to South Point Park. Saw a few cruise ships come and go.

YUMMY

Julio recalled this building from Scarface. :) An oldie.

We HIGHLY recommend the famous New Cafe for breakfast! It's SO amazing! We love it! We go every time we come to South Beach! One of our favorite spots! Best Cafe Con Leche you'll ever have!
At the famous NEWS CAFE. Funny face!

More funny faces!

If you're around for dinner PLEASE check out PRIME ONE TWELVE an absolute MUST!!

Lots of celeb spotting too! We were lucky to have our hotel directly across the street from here! LOVE!

Investing in our marriage means more to us than anything!

It's wonderful to feel so refreshed and renewed. Makes for better Mommy and Daddy!

oh, Did I mention that it's SO MUCH FUN TO GET DRESSED UP! :))))

The many hairstyles of ME.

2011-10-21T15:28:00.000-04:00

I LOVE LOVE LOVE changing up my hair and makeup! Always, sometime maybe a little obsessed with it. But it's fun to me and I enjoy it! Here's some fun hair and makeup pics! I can't find the 7th grade picture of me with BOY short hair! Bummer! I know you wanted to see it!

What's your favorite way to wear your hair?

xo

Jess

Let's go to the Zoo!

2011-10-21T14:39:00.001-04:00

The weather has been PERFECT! We can't stay inside these days so we took the kids to the Naples Zoo! So close, so much to do and see! From tour guided boat rides to feeding of the Giraffes we never got bored. We just soaked up every moment of being together in this beautiful weather! My parents live and Naples and my Dad (aka "Popsy" to the kids) was able to sneak away from his busy schedule and meet with us! My Mom (aka "Nana")is out of town at a Women's retreat so this was great way to distract Dad from missing her so. They're quite the love birds! ;)

If you and your little ones are ever in the area you must check out the Naples Zoo. So worth it and perfect for small children! Don't forget to check out the MASSIVE Gators. ;) Kinda a Florida Native.

I'm getting SO excited about our weekend trip to South Beach! I'll be sure to post pictures and fill you in on all the yummy places we'll be dining! Can't say more now ..... gotta pack!

Cheerful weekend to you all!~
Hope you spend it outside.....wherever you may be!

xo

Jess

2 Strikes

2011-10-19T23:59:00.000-04:00

Number 1. Had to say goodbye to my Nikon and send her in for repair! I'm without my precious camera for a week. Oh, what on earth shall I do!?!? My iPhone doesn't take such pretty pictures as you can tell from my recent post. Boo hoo! This is NOT a good week to have the camera MIA. We're taking holiday time.

Number 2. Discovered last night an UGLY little leak in my dining room window! Oh Lord, have mercy!
The bummer moments of homeownership.

Please say a little prayer for us tonight! Tomorrow we have some one coming to check it out! Let's hope it's nothing MAJOR.

Nighty all!

Pretty Little Powder Room

2011-10-18T22:58:00.000-04:00

This bathroom is so cute and it fits perfectly under our stairwell! And I love it! It's a hidden jewel! I've taken such poor care of it I should be ashamed of myself! It's high time something was done with it. This darling little powder room has received a pretty coat of heather grey. {Sigh......my favorite color these days} I apologize for the poor picture quality. I had to take most of this with my phone :(

And here is her before:

Her AFTER Paint! I feel pretty!

And her AFTER new mirror! Oh SO PRETTY!

Little creative touches. . .

And more creative touches. . . Like my folded toilet paper? I spoil my family! Teehee!
My Momma taught me this cute trick! And I love!

Evolution of a Family Room

2011-10-18T15:00:00.001-04:00

This room has come so far and is nowhere NEAR finished.....but no use waiting around for my dream room. Remember, this is the PROCESS. Not the end results.
NO JUDGING on the ONCE BEFORE rooms.Teehee

Ouch!

Cute diaper boy! So much wall! Old couch and ottoman, had to go. Husband used top drawers of the dressers for all the media. He knocked out the drawers and kept the face. Added hinges and wa-la! No see and no touchy for the kiddos. Worked temporarily, but met better needs in it's new home. The kitchen nook. I LOVE it there!

Rectangles much?

This is our family room at its current state. Hubby's idea to add floating shelves on either sides of the TV. He's brilliant!!

Again, gotta give credit to Julio for the floating shelves! His idea and fills that HUGE wall perfectly!!!

Eclectic Guest Bath

2011-10-17T16:43:00.000-04:00

Hi everyone! Hope you all have had a great weekend! I've been itching to post for nearly 2 weeks now to show you the new color of our downstairs guest bathroom but just haven't had a chance to because of the newest case of ear infections spreading through our home. I'm so thankful for RX's. With out them I'd be miserable! :)))

This bathroom is still in the PROCESS of being complete! But I can't wait any longer. I'm far too excited to show you! Here are the before and afters! :) Many thanks to my AWESOME Father-in-law for being so sweet and painting the bathroom for me!!! I'm SO BLESSED!!

My poor shower curtain. Looks so lonely! I made this a few years ago because the ceilings in this bathroom are super high! So wish I started back then and took before and after pics. (sigh)

So sad and WHITE.

My Father-in-law!!! Not sure how I'd get all this done with out him and my Mother in law who is so wonderful to help with the children and COOK! Yes i said it! COOK for me! YUM! And it's the delish Peruvian food! So so good!!!

Now for some towels, toilet cover and rugs! And MORE decor! I can't get enough of the eclectic look!

Next project is to frame this mirror as I did in the other bathrooms! Envisioning GOLD! Like the baby wipes hangin out? Yep that's where I keep 'em for the downstairs changing needs!

Painted a few of these frames to match. Old towel needs to G-O.

I love this little rack! I've had it for years but just added a little touch of gold paint to spruce her up! Oh and do you recognize the guy on the medallion? Ponce De Leon! Yep. I like history .... a ton......so hopefully my guests will have a history lesson of their own. :D

This is not the end of these frames! I'm planning to fill this entire wall! Adds character don't you think!?

Love my GOLD Giraffe

Now......let me introduce you to our cute little (downstairs) half bath........

Beachy Waves

2011-10-10T09:20:00.001-04:00

Not only do I love playing house but I also love playing hairstylist (to myself and daughter only...I'm not a pro. tee-hee) I love trying new colors and styles. Lately, I'm loving beachy waves look and because I live near the ocean it's an easy style for me to get (naturally).
However, not everyday I spend on the beach because of the HEAT. Phew! Because it's the SALT WATER that gets those luscious waves I researched ways to make a DIY spray at home. And here's the instructions I've found over at GLAMOUR!! AND IT WORKS!!!

WHAT YOU NEED:
*A clean spray bottle. You can find them super cheap at dollar stores, grocery stores, and mega marts. Make sure it holds at least 8 fl. oz. to 10 fl. oz.
*8 fl. oz. of water. Try distilled or filtered if your tap water isn't the best on hair
*Sea salt. I used the more finely ground stuff because it mixes easier and faster with the water. It cost me $2.19 for a large canister of it. Use 1 tsp for each 8 fl oz of water.
*Coconut scented conditioner. It doesn't have to be expensive conditioner - I used Suave brand for $1 at the dollar store. I mostly added this for the "beachy" scent but it helps counteract the drying that the salt will do. I used 1/2 a tsp - use more if you have extra dry hair.
*A dab of hair gel. Unscented, preferably—otherwise it will interfere with the coconut scent of the conditioner). Usually the cheaper brand are more runny and mix better."
Her optional add-ins:
"* Essential oils: If you have dry or coarse hair, this is a good add-in. They will help condition your hair and add some shine. Choose whatever scent you want - ylang ylang works great for sensitive skin and problem scalps. Rosemary is great to help deepen the color of brunette's hair and chamomile brightens blonds. Use 3-5 drops.
* Tea Tree Oil: Great for sensitive and oily scalps. If you have oilier hair, this is the best oil to add for you since it won't make your hair oilier or weigh it down. Use 3-5 drops.
* More sea salt - You can add a little more if you have oilier/thicker hair. The more salt you use, the more it will dry out your hair. BUT the more you use, the "beachier" your hair will look and the more hold there will be. If the recipe doesn't have enough salt for you, add 1/4 tsp at a time until you reach the desired level. Make sure to record your changes so you know how much to add when you want to make more!"
To do: "Add all your ingredients to the spray bottle and shake it until it mixes together. Any oils added will never fully combine well with the water so you'll have to shake it a little before each use. If your hair gel and/or conditioner don't combine you can try warming the mixture in the microwave (remove any metal pieces and don't use until cool!) to see if that helps - if it doesn't, you may have used too thick of a conditioner/gel."
Here's the link:
Want Beachy Hair? Try This DIY Salt Spray Recipe : glamour.com

Whacha ma call it?

2011-10-06T11:41:00.000-04:00

I've coined the term "LANAI" (Pronounced LeN-EYE) for my outdoor "screened" in space. That's what SW Floridians call it. Before moving here I'd never in my life heard of such a term. Growing up we called such a space the patio or breezeway (because it was between the house and the garage). But never the term LANAI. According to Wikipedia it's an Island in Hawaii. HA! Funny right? That's not the only bizarre term SW Floridians use. How's the term NARTHEX sound to you? Familiar? Didn't think so. A church we used to attend called their lobby this. And it really is a word! Don't believe me? Look here Wikipedia. Apparently, we Floridians are a culture group of our own!

Let me introduce our "LANAI" where we will be, from now on, dreaming we are in Lanai, Hawaii.


My sweet husby re-potted a few of my favorite plants over the weekend. Love him. I made these drapes when we first moved to the house and the color got a LITTLE too MANGO for me inside. SO EASY FIX, i sprayed them with a water repellant spray and wa-la! They've been up for over a year now and NO problems. And it RAINS a ton here.

Ava picked this firecracker plant for me. A doll!

Kid's playroom to the far left doors. They're probably wondering WHY all the pictures.

Not sure what this stone is called but it was given to us from a friend from Africa. Weighs a ton.

This big open space will remain this way for a long time. We play a ton here.

Made these large pillows with extra fabric from the drapes.

What are some funny terms you've began to use?

Fall Expressions

2011-10-05T15:17:00.001-04:00

Fall is here! The weather is changing (Yes, even in southwest Florida) and the fall decor has gone up! I didn't wait a day past the first day of fall to decorate!This is my favorite season! (You will hear me repeat that phrase at the beginning of EVERY season). There is just something so exciting about the beginning of a season. And I really do LOVE FALL! My doors and windows have been wide open these past few days and I'm enjoying all the beauty that I possibly can (before it gets piping hot again.....it's Florida....need I say more?) Here are a few of my fall pretties.

My first ever attempt at a wreath! This was a REALLY fun craft! Had no idea i'd like it so much! (please excuse my grammatical errors, my SHIFT key is being wicked)

Candelabra turned "Fallabra." :)

Found these adorable hurricanes at Lowes for 1.50. Filled them with cinnamon scented pine cones! And pumpkin spice candle. Yum!

Id eat these if they were real. :P

What's your favorite season?

Car Crush

2011-10-04T21:45:00.000-04:00

Oh Lordy, help me! I have a new obsession for vintage cars. Today I took my car in for detailing because it was in desperate need. Desperate. Like nasty desperate. 3 kids, remember? While there, I spotted a GORGEOUS Vintage Ford Thunderbird itself being detailed! My GOSH! Is it possible for a car to make your heart flutter?! Mine did! I'm not typically a car fan. But I suppose what caught my attention the most was the quality and precise detail of this FORD!

1957 Ford Thunderbird

1957 Ford Fairlane

Why aren't cars made like this anymore? I wish I wish I wish! Quality of clothing, furniture, cars, and many things were SO much better in times before us. I could go on and on but I believe this post deserves a moment of silence. {Tee Hee} What are your pastime favorites?

JD

Princess Has Turned 4

2011-09-26T16:38:00.000-04:00

So hard to believe my little girl has turned another year older. Feels like she was just in my arms as an infant!

Easter 2008 with my darling Ava.

We celebrated Ava's birthday a week early with family so that we could include Julio's Grandparents who were visiting from Peru and would not be around the day of her birthday. The last time they were visiting was 3 years ago on Ava's first birthday. Super important to celebrate again together. Here are pictures from her special SPA PARTY then to follow pictures with her little friends the DAY of her BIRTHDAY .

Celebrating Ava's Birthday with family!


PRINCESS SALON AND SPA. These cousins were PAMPERED! ON HER BIRTHDAY

So hard to get them all the look in the same direction or even be present for the pic :)

And we unwind.

Sweet Dreams Happen Here

2011-09-26T15:51:00.000-04:00

During my pregnancy last year with Elijah I decided that then, more than ever, would be the time to re-do my master bedroom. With every pregnancy I've taken it upon myself to work on the room for newest little addition without a single consideration for the master retreat. So as they say, "third time a charm" , it was completely true in my situation. Regardless of what ANYONE said about the term of my pregnancy (7 months along) I was determined and so single-handedly created a little space of my own. Finally, I've posted a few little teaser pics. Tutorial will follow.

My Oasis


Did this headboard in one day. After a fresh coat of paint the night stands (formerly sewing tables) were given a cute crystal knob. Adorable!					.

This beautiful Thomasville tall chest and it's matching dresser were a $150 craigslist find (i <3 craigslist!) They weren't so pretty when I found them. They were mint green. The handles too. :( ugh not an easy project getting latex paint off of the metal. But OH so worth every effort!


LOVE Love love my white mirrors! Formerly GOLD and wicked OLD! Took more then one coat of paint to pretty these up.

paint enormous drapes. check.

2011-09-21T13:36:00.000-04:00

MIA for 3 weeks now because of all the house company, birthday parties and unfortunate illnesses being spread like wild fire. Ugh. Glad that's over. But OH so happy it's almost FALL!!

Prior to all of the hectic-ness going on I was able to finish my large drapes in the family room! YAY!! Delighted they are done! And have enjoyed their company for the past few weeks! Super excited to share with you, so here they are:

TA DA!!

I LOVE how they compliment my kitchen drapes!

Here's the BEFORE:

Tutorial to follow.

Have a lovely day. (;

JD

The greatest of these is LOVE

2011-08-24T15:47:00.005-04:00

This afternoon I met a woman that inspired me....in a big way! Her name is Debbie. She has fostered over 60 children most from birth, 5 of whom she's adopted. The majority of these kids have special needs, many born with fetal alcohol syndrome . Not to mention she has 3 biological children that are grown and have families of their own.

Ty, her little 6 year old boy was with her today is 60% blind and has many other kinds of needs. When she found him he was 14 months old in an abandoned home all alone. Can you imagine what that would have been like? I could not. As the tears welled up in my eyes, my heart swelled with love for this woman! She looked a lot like Jesus.

James 1:27
Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

Isaiah 1:17
Learn to do good: Seek justice, Rebuke the oppressor; Defend the fatherless, Plead for the widow.

Psalm 68:5
A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, Is God in His holy habitation.

Handrail

2011-08-24T11:10:00.000-04:00

THE STORY:
The stair handrail that came with this home was ultra ugly. Went with none of the other woods and just absolutely NOTHING in my home. I think the builder picked this one out with his eyes CLOSED! Check it out:

Princess Ava (my doll) with Princess Isabella and Princess Gabriela (my nieces)

Clashes with everything right? Carpet and their adorable dresses!!
I had enough. So again got busy with my paint brush!

THE PROJECT:
Materials:

Screw driver
Sandpaper or electric sander
Paint
Paint Brush

With husbands help I took this hunk of wood off the wall and sanded it in the backyard.
Painted first with primer (since this is going to get a ton of hand traffic) then a few coats of my off white paint. I used the same paint I use to touch up my trim throughout the house. It's a semi-gloss.

Wa-LA!

Easy FIX!

I did this back in the early spring and it's holding up better than expected!!

Especially with all the use it's getting!!

Have a great day!!

Horizontal Drapes

2011-08-23T17:03:00.002-04:00

THE STORY:

My most recent project has been my horizontally striped drapes. I've always had a thing for "railroad" fabrics. Look at the beauty and timeless elegance!

The possibilities are endless.

But in all honesty it is a VERY hard fabric to find for projects! So, I dropped the hunt for fabric to sew my own drapes and settled for the idea of painting them on the ones I already have. I jumped on the "painters drop cloth" band wagon a few years ago when we moved into this house and hung them over almost every window on our first floor. Here's a few pics

This is the family room. Obviously these drapes are the EXTRA large panels.

More to come about these in another post.

Good excuse to introduce the beautiful ladies of my family. Far left on couch is me (preggers 7 months)

with my Mom. Below me, my sis in law Giselle with my Mother in law. And on the far right

couch my sister Candice (also 7 months preggers) with my sis in law Chriss. Aren't they lovely?

I'm gonna be real with you so just excuse the mess. I have 3 kids. Enough said.

My ceilings are higher than standard and these drop cloths come in LARGE sizes and for less than $10 a panel! I loved them! Still do! They hold up so well! They match EVERYTHING and they look like they were taken out of a Pottery Barn catalog but with out the price tag. WIN! But, over time the desire for character began to haunt me like a bad habit! I was tired of my drapes just blending in. So I painted them! My original thought was to go with a navy colored paint. My was mood for a more nautical feel. But I can never trust my "mood" since its changing all the time. I played it safe and went with the off-white. Now they exist:

The PROJECT:

MATERIALS:
Painters Drop Cloths
Iron
Latex interior wall paint of your choice (NOTE: I used a semi-gloss finish not flat. I did not use fabric paint.I used paint I already had on hand. Well over a month now and not a single sign of cracking or flaking.)
Paint Brush
Painters tape
Ruler
Pencil
(see a theme here?....paint paint paint)

I purchased my drop cloths at Lowes for under $10 a panel. Love em. Everyone seems to be recommending that you WASH your panels before using them. I do not. They shrink (with out being dried in the dryer) and they get flimsy. I couldn't risk having high water drapes. Iron them only. The factory odor that they seem to hold will go away over time. I PROMISE.

With a ruler I measured out the exact size stripes I was going for. In this case 9". I wanted a longer piece left over at the bottom so this what I went by. Use your tape and line your fabric. I measured out all of the panels at the same time so that if I ran into any problems I could catch it before the wet paint.

I draped my panels over my dinning room table and used an actual drop cloth to protect my table from the paint. I painted. And painted. And PAINTED. They dried within a few hours! DONE! Its super easy! :)

No CRACKING or FLAKING. NOT BOARD STIFF. True to form! No COMPLAINTS at all!
I love them!

Maybe one day I'll get the energy to line them :)

NOW onto these bad boys:

One solid stripe across the middle maybe? I need to hide that ugly seam.

BloggieTales

2011-08-22T10:42:00.001-04:00

Good Morning! I changed the photo collage above to include now my 3rd. Elijah! These pictures are already 6 months old...but I'm making progress. :)

Foreshadowing is a literary device in which an author suggests certain plot developments that might come later in the story.Wikipedia.

Since I'm the author of this story I think I'll begin today with a few hints into what I plan to do with these little tales I have the luxury to PUBLISH. Thanks to blogger the little link below that says "publish post" has the potential to make even the inexperienced writers feel pretty special. I may go a little crazy with the "publishing" of posts because there is so much to tell! And some may be ... well ... just my thoughts. But if it's ok with you....I'll continue on with my story.

If you know me, you know I LOVE to travel. I love learning about other cultures and customs. And I love to expose my taste buds to new and exciting flavors. Lucky for me, my husband is Peruvian. YUMMY and I'm not just talking about HIM I'm talking about Peruvian food. It is some of the best food I've ever tasted! Peru has some pretty amazing World Records. Here's an interesting fact:

Peru has the Oldest pyramid – Archaeologists have discovered that similar structures were being built at around the same time on the other side of the world. As early as 2700-2600 BC, an ancient city featuring up to 20 pyramids was constructed at Caral in the Supe Valley on the west coast of Peru. The early settlement is widely believed to be the first city in the Americas, although the difficulties in dating ancient monuments has made it impossible to say for certain whether its pyramids pre-date the one at Saqqara.Guinness Book

There is so much more to be said about Peru. SO much more. But it deserves it's own post. Well, it actually deserves its own blog. But, no time for that. One is plenty for me these days. I'll continue to highlight little pieces of it here and there along with the other incredible places I've had the pleasure to visit. Oh, and I'll sneak a little recipe in once in a while! You won't be disappointed. Trust me.

Along with my passion for traveling and well the obvious given...my family. I'm absolutely obsessed with perfecting my home. Truthfully, I was 6 months pregnant when I began the intense project of my bedroom revamping and the extra million pounds of body weight didn't stop me.

Master bedroom, beginning stages.

Project Diaz wasn't given it's name for lack of ideas. I'm literally ALWAYS elbows deep in a project. I can't seem to spend enough time at Lowes and Home Depot. I'll begin to post my projects as well. I've attempted this for well over a year now and because of the increasing requests to "share" I think the time has finally come. Thankfully, I've kept photo records of my before and after.

I have a love for fashion. Again, deserving it's own blog. But I'm up for the challenge of a WHIPLASH blog.

I've left so much more out for the curiosity factor. I am getting super excited about this and I'd love to hear your feedback. Always. So please share with me in this story!

JND

Take 3

2011-08-06T20:48:00.000-04:00

It's been a little over 1 year now since my last posting and boy do I have a ton of catching up to do.

In a nutshell, baby number 3 has arrived. Infact, it's been nearly 9 months since his arrival and I'm seriously lacking a single picture of him here. So, as you patiently await the soon to be coming pic updates, here's a quick look at my precious little man, Elijah with his Nana (my Momma) on July 4th.

He's irresistably snuggleicious!! As is my precious Momma! ;)

In advance, please forgive me if I give you any case of blogger whiplash. I have a feeling that because I have so much catching up to do I may change topics rather quickly. But if you know me much at all, it probably wont surprise you a bit. :) Ask my hubby.

A Picture Speaks a Thousands Words

2010-07-23T10:20:00.003-04:00

I've highlighted special events from Jan to May this year via photo collage.
These pictures do a much better job of explaination than I could ever do.
Hope you enjoy.
(tip: click on pic to enlarge)

May 2010
Disney weekend, Ava's excitement to meet princess Belle was a little overwhelming for her. :D

April/May 2010
Ava's spring concert, Mothers day, more birthdays.

APRIL 2010

Easter Sunday, Max's first birthday party.

March 2010
Sebastian Inlet Family Boat Excursion

MARCH 2010
Discovering Manatees

FEBRUARY 2010
Visit to see Nannie, Nate and Jess visit, birthdays and doggie beach.

                                                                       JANUARY 2010
                                                      Happy New Year, Barnum and Baileys, chilly weather, family lovin.

East Coast Dream

2010-07-09T16:50:00.000-04:00

We spent 4th of July weekend arcoss the coast in beautiful West Palm with our dear friends the Escobar family!

With my sweet friend Adrianna.

A delightful time! I can guarantee you that the beach and pool were not taken for granted.

We soaked up every moment in the water under the beautiful sun.

The babies weren't so thrilled that I MADE them wear swimmies. But it was the only thing that took away my anxiety. Especially with the likes of Max and his neverending desire to do nothing but jump from my arms into the open deep water! eek! Typical boy!

Max the "daredevil".

My pretty girl and her curls!

All our little ones.

No sense of fear.

Our sweet friends!

My loves!

Spent evening of 4th with my Mom and Dad! Kids are always up for a visit to Nana and Papa's place!

I hope your 4th was spent with the ones you love! xo

We're in the business of baby making!

2010-07-09T16:09:00.002-04:00

Diaz Baby Factory is still up and running! No plans for stopping now! Yes, its true! We're expecting baby no. 3 November 22! Just in time for the holidays! We are more than overjoyed to be blessed with another precious life! We can not wait to find out the sex next week! I'll keep you posted!!

20 weeks along. This is nothing unfamiliar for this belly!

We like to dance.

2010-03-15T17:09:00.001-04:00

Before Julio gets home every afternoon around 5pm somehow the iPod gets started and we can't stop! Ava's favorite is Beyonce's "Put a ring on it". She'll throw a fit until it's on....She insists it's the "Oh Oh Oh's" that get her moving. But today is different. She's loving Juanes' "La Camisa Negra". Shes on a roll. Did I mention....she's the DJ too? Max just moves to any beat. Super cute to watch.